Toe-to-toe in Townsville

Supercars title fighters share the honours

THE war between Scott McLaughlin and Jamie Whincup continued on the streets of Townsville, with the title fighters landing a win apiece to set the championship alight.

With Whincup striking first to make it a Townsville double, McLaughlin flew in his Ford to hit back in the final race.

After losing almost 100 points to his Red Bull rival in the first two races, McLaughlin clawed his way back to the top by holding off a fired-up

Cameron Waters. “That is a great finish to the weekend,” McLaughlin said.

“We still have a bit of work to do but I am proud of all the guys for continually working hard and getting the last win of the weekend.”

Whincup finished third in the final race to continue his resurrection after claiming the first two wins.

“We will go away happy,” Whincup said. “We came to win the round and did. We have to keep on chipping away because it is our responsibility to make it a championship and not let one guy get out in front and dominate. We will make a race of it.”

Whincup and McLaughlin grabbed a pole a piece in qualifying.

Striking first to continue his red-hot Townsville form, Whincup followed up his race one win by blasting the field as McLaughlin suffered another fail.

While Whincup belted out a 1:12.31 to make it back-to-back poles, McLaughlin clocked a 1:12.70 to finish 13th fastest.

“The car was good as it was yesterday and we maximised it there,” said Whincup.

“Full respect to (engineer David) Cauchi for getting it right.”

McLaughlin hit back in the final session to go quickest as Whincup finished fourth.

“We thought we were there or thereabouts yesterday but came out this morning and the car was sort of nowhere,” said McLaughlin.

“After that we made a change and it was hooked up in that second run so I’m really, really happy. I’m pretty pumped with that one.”

Whincup led from start to finish in race one and was never in trouble, the Holden hero beating Chaz Mostert by over three seconds as McLaughlin was forced to fight his way through the field.